The Keros Outpost used to be an assignment for whoever drew the short straw or pissed off the wrong Command. Attached to the little town of Keros, there's no other points of interest for anyone stationed here to entertain themselves with. The outpost itself is situated on a flattened out section of rock with little to no vegetation to speak of. Cordoned off by a chainlink fence topped with barbed wire, it looks more like a minimum security prison. Only instead of a guard post, there's a communications tower and instead of a cellblock, there's one main building that houses the small contingent of colonial military with a blank area of dirt in front of it to serve as the parade grounds.

"Well all you gotta do to get that is paint some shit or talk to the prisoners." Damon whispers sidelong to Cinder, hoping that Ezra isn't trying to zero in too much on their conversation. A small bit of rare sarcasm from the prison marine. At the sound of Swift's request being granted, he turns his head and smirks towards Ashe, issuing him an upwards nod. "Down one for Brand and I here, huah?"

Ashe manages a small smirk and smile before nodding towards the Major. "Of course sir." He flicks free the clip from the rifle to hand it over towards Ezra and starts working on his flak as well. "Iunno there. I doubt I could down one for both of you, it would just seem unjust. I can abduct some though. I mean, of course I would never bring contraband on ship."

"If you abduct a bottle, Swift-" comes the Major's usual bark. "Make sure you hide it somewhere, where Dover can't find it." A faint smirk there, before he's looking back to Damon and Brand. Though he cannot make out what they are saying- he's still scowling at them, but that seems to be normal doesn't it? Clip taken- it slid into a pocket on the side of his fatigues. "Have fun, Corporal."

"Yeah, I'd rather see him take one back for me, rather than drinking it down. He can put it under my pillow…only time he'll be in my bunk, I guarantee that," Cinder comments, given Damon a little elbow nudge. Then she pulls her rifle around from her shoulder and double checks the saftey on it…right as the message on the come comes through. She puts a hand to the side of her helmet to make sure she heard the message right…and then keeps the rifle on her front side, rather than letting it swing back around, thumb on the safty in case shit goes down.

"Go figure." Damon says as the call comes in over the wireless. Biting back the sudden desire for a cigarette, he moves towards their defensive position and unfolds the bipod on the bottom of the machine gun. Lowering it into place, he takes a knee and lifts his head to the sky. "Swift best move his ass on that beer. You know what's bullshit, Brand? Ain't had one bit of leave down here yet and I'll be damned if they're gonna make me lose out on it." Damon gripes, falling into a silent sentry mode.

Ashe is in fact only about a dozen paces away when the Tac call comes over their Marine Chatter. Stopping midstep, his head lowers and he sighs softly then turns back. "Well sir, looks like I'm joining you in the premature category." Ooooh snap. Holding his hand out for the clips and rifle he had just handed over.

A faint pause, as the Major looks over to the assorted Marines, a whistle is given over to a Private loafing it over by one of the SAM sites. "Swift-Hold up." comes the bark, as it seems he will be tossing the Corporal back, his flak vest. Hand reaching for the back of the Private's pack to pull out the Wirelo receiver. Thumb clicking the button, to call back up to the Kharon…
Don't worry Ashe, you'll have your stuff back here in a second.

[Into the Wireless] Ezra says, "Kharon, Cass. Copy that, Over."

From his knelt position near Cinder, Damon listens to Swift's reply to the Major and tilts his eye towards the blonde, feminine marine. For just a mere second his lip twitches, refusing to call out Swift's double entendre. If anything it's a break in the tension that Damon so rarely ever allows himself to be seen sweating. Rolling his shoulders to get comfortable, he resumes his overwatch. The heavy machine gun is racked and resting on its bipod, the barrel pointing down towards the main thoroughfare of the outpost. "So what's the score, Brand? This one my fault or his? Who jinxed us this time?"

"Don't think I can blame either of you for this one. Not if there's toasters involved," Cinder comments, wryly. She gives Damon a clap on the shoulder, and joins him in looking up to the sky. Good luck seeing anything though…but she's learned that the skies belong to the Viper jocks; she and the other Marines get to look them in that beady, glowing-red eye and blast them. Still waiting on further com communication, she quietly flips the safey off her rifle, and cradles it across her lower belly.

Ashe nods his head and stands, waiting to get his equipment back from the Major having had turn it over. "Sir. Feelin's gone too, just so you know sir." Why Ashe is updating Ezra about his feelings is a toss up, perhaps they are part of the Flower Power team.

Epi was in the back of the group, very quiet - for once. Not like her to be so silent. In fact, she's barely even moving with a quarter of her usual kinetic energy. No bouncing.

"Can it Marines-" comes Ezra's usual bark as he's turning his eyes skywards. "There's been confirmation of a bandit taken out, above us. If so, could mean more- So keep on your toes, and be prepared to repel a landing party or take cover and bug out when ordered." And with that there's a twitch of his mustache-A faint look back to Ashe and there's a shake of his head. "Thank you Corporal.." but the response feels flat as anything.

Damon goes silent at the Major's call for quiet. Letting out a pensive breath, he shuffles and settles himself back down into place. With so many eyes skyward, he lowers his gaze to watch the street leading towards their position with the SAMs. Adjusting his handhold on the grip of the machine gun, he lowers his head and glances back to Epi, nodding to her quietly to let her know he's on the line as well. Not that it's a blessing, with how the rumor mill's been treating him since his first step aboard the Kharon…

"Frak me…" Cinder manages to slip in, under her breath, even after the Major's order. The mention of a landing party or anything, or toasters bailing out (do they even bail out? That'd be a funny sight, quite frankly, and gives a new meaning to flying toasters), gets her to look back to the horizon. She looks back out toward the hills, about 45 degrees off from where Damon is looking, so they cover a pretty wide visual arc, with some in the middle overlapping..

Ashe's eyes drift from Cass over towards Epi in the back, lingering there silently for long moments. Then his focus reeturns to the Major waiting for further information.

Epi was already silent. She simply remains where she is, slowly scanning the area, weapon in hand. Her focus is on the perimeter, with the occasional glance flicking to Ezra.

The call of Raptors needing to land gets Cinder turning to look back toward the parade grounds and packed dirt and rock of the ground about the outpost. Same place they came in on their LZ training the other day…except now, they aren't using chalk pellets. "Major? What do you want us to do?" she calls out to Ezra.

A deep breath taken, the Major remains over by the Wirelo operator- his hand still on the receiver before the thumb is pressing a few clicks, upon the ring back through his ear piece. A look is given to his marines, as the word comes down. "Alright-men. We need to secure the LZ- as more contacts have been given spotted. Whether or not they come here, land or attack- we need to be ready. As such defensive positions at the Landing PAD, and pray they stop em before they get here, or that the SAM sites, light those frakkers up." And with that he's putting in the call.

[Into the Wireless] Ezra says, "Kharon, Cass. Copy that, we'll be securing the LZ. Keep us apprised if anything gets past the Cavalry in the sky-over."

"Huah." Damon replies to the Major, maintaining his overwatch position. Glancing back to Epi, who's also known to carry the heavies, he glances around the area before directing his words to the Major. "Sir, permission to be on LZ detail." He says flatly, turning his feet to spring up with his finger over the safety on his weapon.

The little Marine lifts her chin slightly to Ezra, fingering the strap of her pack. It's quite likely she's got everything she needs to blow a few places to kingdom come. Given the look on her face, well, if the Cylons come to take her out, she's taking them with her.

"Great, another day of work." Ashe quips under his breath managing a small smirk. "Roast them or skewer them."

"Granted, Cavalera. Let's hoof it Marines." And the Major's not wasting time about it. There's a look over to a Lance Corporal who is coming over from one of the SAM installations. "Head back and Keep on the Horn, incase we're getting lit up here- we're not losing anything on the planet side, if we can help it. The man passes a nod, before he's looking over the rest- And with that, dragging the Wirelo operator with him,he's off to the LZ. Marines, lead the way.

Cinder doesn't give any confirmation beyond a sharp nod when the Major issues orders. At the double, she starts to crunch off across the outpost grounds toward the LZ, tightening the straps on her helmet as tight as can functionally and comfortably be.

Pushing up from his knelt position, Damon clicks the safety on his heavy machine gun and lets it hang. Grabbing his pack, he shoulders it and takes off double-time for the landing pad.

Landing Pad

There's a high-pitched whine overhead as something.. or somethings streak through the clouds. Still out of range of the SAM installations, it seems like they might be doing a high-altitude flyby. The crescent-wing shape gives them away as being not of the viper persuasion.

The Marines own small patrol soon is coming up on the tarmac and what little cover they have here-which is to say-not much beyond the Maintenance Shed. And already there's the buzz in Cass' ear, which has him looking back to the others. "Private, pass me your rifle, and stay on the Wirelo- keep Kharon in the know-And stay on my ass." Orders already coming as he takes what little time they have left to survey their surroundings. "Alright, we may have two possible incoming- As such- get to cover, and be ready to fire on anything that lands-if they go straffing-stay down as well as you can, and pray to the gods that the SAM sites take them out. We gotta protect our birds- and be ready to bug. You got that marines?" a pause "Damon, Epi, I want you right of the LZ, Swift, and Brand to the left- I'll cover Center with.." and there's a look to the Private behind him. "Smithicks.." Pvt. Petey Smithicks.

[Foxbat-2 'BLACK CAT': Legacy] From the skies drops down Thea's Foxbat, lightly touching down on the surface.

Damon, as usual, is all silence and business. Nodding his head, he lets out a grunt and moves to the right of the LZ. Glancing around for some cover and finding very little, he lowers himself to the ground prone and sets his machine gun on its bipod. Shimmying into place without the time to dig any sort of fox hole, he scans for targets, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Roger, Sir," Epi says quietly, taking off toward where she's been pointed - and keeping low. She's got her weapon out and ready, her pack on, and a Look on her face. "Keep 'em off the wirlo operator and the Major at all costs," she tells her buddy.

[Foxbat-4 'MADMAN': Matto] Kisseus unlocks the hatch lever and pulls it into position to let the hatch crack open and then lower itself into entry ramp position.

On her way to the left side of the LP, Cinder grabs the shoulder of Ashe's blacks and gives him a little tug, sheparding him over. When she gets there, she crouches down on the side of the LP, and trying to use the little ledge there between the tarmac and the dirt there at the side for what little cover it provides. Her gun is up and ready, scanning around, occasionally looking up at the skies.

That same high-pitched whine is heard again, this time much closer as four raiders break cloud cover and hurtle toward the surface. The scream of viper engines can be heard as well, several friendly fighters in hot pursuit of the enemy craft. The sound is damned near deafening.

What the Raptor pilots would find on the ground, ready to meet them would be a small group of marines in partial cover. Already as the Raiders come screaming in, Cass, is motioning basically for the bloody pilots, to get to cover- though with the deafening noise, his shouts may, or may not be heard, but hopefully, Ezra's intent is clear. Get out and get the frak down. Here's hoping those SAM sites, work.

"Alright, Short. It's you and me." Damon says quietly to Epi, keeping his machine gun aimed down the major firing channel. Breathing calmly, he doesn't seem one bit perturbed by the prospect of incoming danger. "Get into mode, girl, your head right? You good?"

Epi simply looks over at Damon, an eyebrow arching ever so slightly. "I know my job," she says quietly. "And I know how to follow a godsdamned order from my CO. Let's knock these things out and go home."

Matto's job, as far as he's concerned, is to get people in his bird and get them back to Kharon, not go out and play hide-and-go-shoot with some Raiders. He remains in the cockpit where he has been, radioing over to Legacy, "Are they planning on boarding or just hiding in the bushes all day?"

Ajtai comes out just in time to see Ezra's gesture and she's quick to get down, ducking behind and semi-under the Raptor's wing as it's the closest bit of cover to be found without actually getting under the godsdamned thing. Matto's looked for but she then chuckling, Kissy's question getting her to do so. "Hope they don't plan on bringing the flora with them."

Sparro sees the call to get to cover and leaps from his Raptor, pulling his issue as he gets low, trying to get a bead on what the frak is happening here, all the while gesturing for his ECO to follow suit.

Thea taps at her radio to respond to Matto, lips slightly thin. "Madman, I rather trust Major Cass knows what he's doing. Especially given the four unfriendlies screaming over head. He's making sure they've got a clear shot."

Ashe grunts confirmation towards Ezra as he heads off to cover the area of the LZ ordered, watching and looking around as funky begins to happen. "Are you finding it easier on you?"

As the hatch opens and the sounds of explosions roar outside the ship, Komnenos braces himself as he goes for his weapon. No stranger to a hot LZ these days, is Komnenos. A piercing look shoots over in Matto's direction as the other man's voice crackles over his radio, but Thorn says nothing, preferring to concentrate on his surroundings from his perch next to the Raptor's hatch.

Matto looks back toward the hatch, "What the— Crybaby, get your ass back in the bird and belt in. We need to be ready to go when the Marines board. Get your jamming solutions ready."

Damon tilts his head to gaze at Epi through the corner of his eyes at her response. Nodding his head softly, he adjusts the way the machine gun rests against his shoulder and lowers his finger onto the trigger. "Fair enough." Damon says, adding a new layer of ice to the conversation as he lowers his goggles into place. Thankfully, his ear protection gives him a little grace from the shrieking Raiders above. Rising, he rolls back to his haunches and drags his gun with him towards the SAM.

Kitty looks up and then coughs, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry…" Okay, so she had thought her help would be needed out here. Guesses not. She bops back into the Raptor and waits.

From the cover at the edge of the LP, Cinder looks up to the skies, watching the Raiders screaming by, followed by Vipers. Across the tarmac, she spies Damon and Epi breaking for one of the SAMs. Makes her feel a lot naked, clutching her tiny little rifle and laying in the dirt at the edge of the tarmac while those craft fly around overhead.

Eyes as well look over the skies from Ashe as he tosses a glance first at Cinder than towards the transports. "Hey Cin. Is it easier if we have someone to blame?" He asks it in a deep thought sort of way, as if the words have a very meaningful purpose. Still looking at the raptors, he frowns then after a moment looks back towards the skies.

The raiders blow by on their second pass, then come in for a third. This time, they open up with their guns, spitting hot lead in wide swaths as they position themselves for a parallel strafing run of the tarmac.

In the other Sam Site, opposite from Damon and Epi, Smithicks and the major quickly trade off the rifle, Here's hoping those damned things go up when the missile's fire. After all he's trying to buy them some damned time to get the hell out of here. Ezra's barking back to Petey- orders or something to relay around via the wirelo. Though whether they will have a chance at them, remains unseen.

From her position at the side of the tarmac, Cinder tries her best to aim the rifle at the rapidly moving Raiders. With the selector set to fullauto, she fires short, controlled bursts as best she can toward the Raiders. No way of knowing if she hit them or not, but she does as best she can to put up some lead to discourage them from strafing the LZ.

Ashe grunts a bit as the Raiders fly over, popping up in advance some so he can attempt to pop it in the incoming cockpit. Granted, he misses and only hits a wing. "Hmm. Little bastards move fast."

Epi is a tiny bit slow on the mark with her machine gun, but the first round hits SOMETHING at least. Lips purse slightly and then tilt up into a smile. Ahhh, revenge is sweet.

Thorn's pistol is out as he crouches by the hatch; it's not at the ready, though, as it's not exactly liable to do much good against raiders. Sharp blue eyes detect no signs of Centurions, either. "What th' bloody frak…" he mutters as his eyes flick from ground to sky. After one last look, he shakes his head and gets back to his console. He brings up several of his preprogrammed ECM macros, preparing them for instant use upon launch, if necessary.

With his LMG taken away while he mans the SAR station, Damon grips the controls and swivels the heavy equipment with the use of its internal hydraulics. A bit of a first timer at this, his experience with trying out new and exciting weaponry pays off as his launched missile creates a large fireball out of a Raider's wing. "ONE DOWN!" Damon barks out, grunting and forcing the SAM into position for his next shot.

The noise from the raiders' guns is deafening. Hunks of rock and asphalt are kicked up by their thirty milimetre rounds as the enemy fighters strafe the ground; a few plough into the tarmac mere feet away from the raptor, and Ezra gets some red hot ordnance right in the chest. The raiders roar past, not even slowing as one of them is chewed up by a missile launched from the SAM emplacement.

Bullets ping all within the protective metal shell of the SAM site, but true to it's nature the thing holds up and is ready with another loaded missile. There's a sound as the Major drops back, landing hard. However there's no real word, just more directions barked to Petey as he gets back up, to get on the 'guns' once more. A grimace, has Ezra, moving around to take another shot into the strafing raiders, even as blood begins to show on his greens around his chest. "Marine's CLEAR EM OUT." Then, run like hell will be the orders.

[Foxbat-8 'BIRDMAN': Sparro] Sparro buttons up quickly, and with a quick glance to see if anyone is strafing him at that precise moment, gives a hard push skywards.

Bringing his rifle up again, Ashe takes a careful aim with his rifle when the Raiders move to strafe once again. Narrowing his eyes along the sight of his weapon he locks in upon the Cylon ship and depresses his trigger once. Again he attempts to put it into the cockpit region only to miss (much closer this time) and bury it into the weapon cavity as it opens fire. "Frak." The grumbled word leads to him rotating to keep tracking the Raider and following it with his rifle for the next window of firing.

Lying in the dirt, Cinder continues to fire at the raiders. This time, she's sure she sees a spark or something as at least one of her bullets hits the Raider's wing. Unfortunately, her two fullauto volleys have caused her rifle to click empty. Scrambling around on her belly a bit, she reaches into her tac vest, pulling out a magazine and slapping it into her rifle, after sliding the empty back into the vest…not so much of a hurry that she can't.

Damon's head jerks to the side as a large gash rips in his helmet. Thrown to the ground, he manages to keep the controls for the SAM in place as he goes to one knee. Ripping his helmet off and ignoring the bloodstream that's trickling down the side of his face, he rises and keeps the SAM targeted, firing another missile.

Epi takes yet another gut shot. Cylons seem to have a thing for her neck and abdomen. Damned vampires. She continues to hold on and to fire, only a little out of breath.

[Wolf-10 'DASH': Martin] With the screaming of afterburners the cavalry arrives. Dash leads the assault to rain hell upon the attacking Raiders. Choosing his first target and focusing solely on avoiding the rooftops, he lets loose a booming barrage of KEW fire towards the Raider. There's no fanfare for sure, but air support has, in fact, arrived.

Missile going wide, Cass, is quick to find another target, thus adding into the confusion in the air. Smoke from the fired ordinance helping paint the sky with some pretty gnarly white lines. For those of them coming in from the sky- This would be hell. Still the Major is doing his damnedest with his men to keep the Raiders off the grounded birds-Hopefully in time for the Cavalry to come in and mop em up.

[Wolf-16 'POET': Roubani] Roubani's Viper is right behind Martin's, breaking off slightly to find another angle of attack on the first bandit he can spot. His guns open fire as soon as the shot's clear.

[Wolf-8 'SHEPHERD': Castor] Wolf-8 flies into the fray and she screams loudly in the atmo as Shepherd has someone planetside he is fighting for and he is not in a good mood since he has been hit once already. If Shepherd had missiles they would be used all at once on knocking every Raider out however for now a certain raider has his attention.

Ashe comes up off his knee some and takes steady aim, depressing his trigger again this time. The bullet seems to fly in his vision as it spins free of the rifle through the skies towards the incoming Raider and going splat dead center into the cockpit. Even before he finishes watching the shot though, Ashe is turning to find the remaining Raider, speaking very quietly under his voice some odd sounding chant.

[Wolf-10 'DASH': Martin] After the initial volley screams past and Dash sees the satisfying explosions coming from the Raiders, he dips his wing in a salute to the ground pounders and turns his eyes back to the field before them. Scanning for targets, he rushes his Viper forward at breakneck speed.

Ahhhh, it's always good to have the right tool for the job. Rather than trying to kill Raiders with cheese graters, the cavalry comes in to help, which has Epi looking a touch more comfortable. That doesn't mean, however, that she stops firing. There's still one out of the four left, and little momma's clearly planning on taking it down.

With more than enough coordinated fire coming from the Vipers and the ground, Damon blinks as it looks as if Ashe's rifle fire connected with a passing Raider. Smirking, he glances towards the gun cam recorder on the SAM's console and makes sure that it's still working…the man might want to see that later.

Again rounds batter the small SAM installation, As the Major fires off into another one of the damned flying pieces of metal that come from overhead. Even as he's hit, he's pulling that trigger without a hitch, before his hand is moving up to his neck, and pressing tightly as he drops down, blood coming from between his fingers. A motion is made to the Private to at least help bloody bandage him, right there.
Only now does he sink down-and not fire again.

The raiders swoop in for another go at the sitting ducks on the tarmac, their guns continuing to rip up the asphalt as they fire upon the group by the raptor with abandon. One enemy fighter takes a missile to the wing, and it's ripped off with a sickening whine like fingernails on a chalkboard before whipping away and smashing through the window of one of the outpost buildings. The rest of the raider slams into the ground, and skids to a smoking, burning halt about twenty feet from the raptor. Another raider takes a sniper-style shot to its 'eye', which must've fried something pretty important, as it goes up like the fourth of july, littering the environs with burning shrapnel as it comes to rest in pieces.

With her rifle reloaded, Cinder pops up to her knee to take somewhat better aim at the remaining Raider. Sighting along the gun, she tracks the ship and pulls the trigger, attempting to not let Ashe have all the fun here on the ground.

The combined fire from the marines on the ground, and the vipers in hot pursuit in the air, manage to send the last remaining raider to a fiery end like its brethren. Rounds slice through the enemy fighter like savage animals at a fresh carcass, ripping off hunks of it and sending them ploughing into the ground. As the last piece of the raider falls, smashing into a section of barbed wire fencing and ripping it off its support posts, all that can be heard is the roar of the vipers' engines as they retreat.

Ashe's next shot follows the same path of the first, ripping into the Raider's cockpit as the pilot or controller seems more occupied by the fire from the Vipers. After he finishes the shot, tilting his head upon the collapsing of fire and debris he glances over at Cinder near by. "One." He states towards her.

With the Skies relatively clear, the Major's moving to stand with the help of the Private, once his neck has been taken care of-they can patch up his neck inside the bird, but with the bits of the raider raining down, there's no time like the present. Ezra quickly raises his hand, as that bellow comes out a little harsher than usual. "Marines, get to the Raptor!" And with that- he is making to get the hell out of dodge, whilst the getting is good. Besides- he and a few others need medical assistance.

"Look at you…all badass." Damon murmurs, grabbing the datadisc for the SAM's gun cam. Reaching to the ground, he picks up his damaged helmet and grabs his gear, racing for the Raptor as fast as his legs will take him.

Epi slides down off her perch once her work is done and starts for Matto's Raptor at a jog, weapon in hand. The Major's got his assistance and she's likely hurting, herself.

Cinder can over give Ashe a little smirk. "Does that count as yours or mine?" she says, lifting her chin toward the fireball that was once a Raider. She doesn't give him a heck of a lot of time to answer before she's up and over the edge of the tarmac though, running in a low crouch toward the open hatches of the Raptors.